Sealing gasket for a container

ABSTRACT

An improved sealing gasket for providing a seal for vessels subject to a differential in pressure.

United States Patent Tonn 1 Oct. 31, 1972 [54] SEALING GASKET FOR ACONTAINER 2,969,252 1/1961 Eruvermi 1220/46 R" [72] Inventor: Erwin W.Tonn, 7734 S. Christiana, i 1

Chicago, L 60652 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Wilfred S.Stone [22] Filed: Sept. 7, 1971 21 App]. No.: 178,280 A ABSTRACT [$2]115.01. ..220/46R [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d-53/00 [5s FieldofSearch..220/46R;277/201,214

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,441,166 4/1969 DeFrees,... ...220/46R l: 17 IE 18 vessels subject to a differential inpressure.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PMENTEDncm m2 3101.452

I NVENTOR.

M0 QM Various different types of elastically retumable sealing gasketsfor providing a sealing strip for pressure vessels are known. Thepresent invention relates broadly to improvements in such sealinggaskets and in one particular application to sealing gaskets'forming asealing strip forhigh pressure vessels such as foodpressure cookerswherein a seal must be providedbetween the cooker and its associatedcover due to the fact that the cooker is heated to a high temperatureand a high differential pressure exists between the interior of thecooker and the atmosphere.

In one such application the sealing gasket of the invention is used as asealing strip for a pressure cooker approximately 22 inches inperipheral dimension for cooking for example, chicken, wherein a heat ofapproximately 350 and a pressure of pounds per square inch must bemaintained in the vessel.

The gasket of the invention can be used for a variety of different highpressure applications and will withstand temperatures of 500 F abovezero and 85 F below zero. 7

An advantage of the present-gasket is that it is selfcontained in itsassociated cavity or groove and does not have to be vulcanized in itscavity as do other gaskets. It can thus be removed and replaced in a fewminutes.

Also, the gasket of the invention can be used in a vacuum and generallyin any type of application where a positive seal is required.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention toprovidea sealing gasket to effect a sealing strip along the periphery ofa vessel and on associated cover secured tothe vessel.

Theforegoing and object objects, features and .advantages of theinvention will be apparent fromthe following more-particular descriptionof a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. I is a schematic showing of a pressurevessel indicating a sealinggasket in accordance with the invention with the gasket providing a sealbetween the open periphery of the pressure vessel and the associatedcover; i i FIG. 2 is an enlarged view partially in cross-section showinga cross-section of the sealing gasket of the invention as mounted inposition;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a length of a sealing gasket of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of another embodiment of a sealing gasket ofthe invention shown mounted in position;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the length of thesealing gasket of FIG.4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a third embodiment of the sealing gasket ofthe invention shown mounted in position; and,

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a length of the sealing gasket ofFIG. 6.

Referring to the various figures, a pressure vessel 13 which utilizesthe sealing gasket 11 of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. In theembodiment indicated food is cooked in vessel 13 under elevated pressureand heat. However, as mentioned above, it should be understood that theinventive gasket can be used for general applithe cover cationsincluding any type of applications'where a differential in pressureexists between the interior of the vessel and the exterior of the vesseland including vacuum applications.

Gasket 21, in one embodiment, is made of resiliently compressiblesilicone material. A cover 11 having an open edge surface 20, which inturn includes a groove 19 for receiving the gasket 21, is provided forpressure vessel 13. When cover 11 is closed the gasket 21 abuts againstand seals the periphery of the open edge 14 of vessel 13. Cover 11 istightly affixed to the pressure vessel as bya suitable bolt or boltsindicated as at 16. The bolt 16 which may beof any suitable type,

11 asby being inserted into associated lugs 18 in the cover, and thecoveris tightly affixed to the vessel as by the bolt 16 and nut 17combination.

. The open groove 19 formed on the edge surface 20 of cover 1 1 extendscompletely around the periphery of .the cover. The groove 19 is formedto have, in crosssection, a rectangular bottom opening (see FIG. 2),

side extending recesses and a semi-circular upper surface. The sealinggasket 21 of the invention is inserted in the groove 19;

The gasket 21 is shaped along its approximate upper half portion toconform and fit into the groove The lower portion of the sealing gasket21 extends downwardly of the upper surface 20. Referring nowparticularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bottom surface 23 of the gasket 21 isflat (along a horizontal line as oriented in FIG. 3) and bears againstthe upper edge surface 14 of the vessel 13 when cover 11 is closed, seeFIG. 2. The sides 25 and 27 of gasket 21 angle outwardly from thesurface 23, and extend upward to perpendicular sides 26 and 28conformingto thestraightsides of the groove 19. The upper portion of thegasket includes flanges 29 and 30, (rectangular in cross-section) whichextend outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the sealing gasket toengage the conforming recesses in groove 19. The upper portion of thegasket 21 is rounded as at 24 and conforms to the rounded top of groove19..

When the cover 11 is tightened onto thesurface 14 of thepressure vessel13, the flat bottom surface 23 of gasket 21 bears against surface 14 toprovide a seal there between. For variousapplications a stop 38 may bepositioned on bolt 16 to limit the amount that bolt can be turned totighten cover 11 onto the upper surface 14, and-thus to also limit thepressure applied to the surface 23 of gasket.

A second embodiment of the sealing gasket 35 of the invention is shownin FIGS. 4 and! 5. In this embodiment, the upper portion of the sealinggasket 35 is for most applications, it may be damaged if the stop 38 isdamaged or removed. If, for example, the stop 38 is removed and thecover 11 is brought down too tightly against upper surface 14, cover 11may bear down tightly against gasket 21 and push the tapered surfacesengages 25 and 27 and, or, the side surfaces 24 and 26 againstthe metaledges 44 and 46 of the upper surface 14. This may cause the gasket 21 totear and be ineffective.

Another embodiment of the sealing gasket in accordance with theinvention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The gasket 40 of FIG. 6 isgenerally similar to the gasket 35. However, gasket 40 has the advantagethat it is reversible; that is, it is symmetrical about a horizontalaxis as indicated by the dot-dash line 45. The top and bottom portions41 and 43 are essentially identical.

The advantage of the sealing gasket 41 of FIGS. 6 and 7 is that if wearoccurs on the lower surface 43, or if lower portion of the gasket 43 isdamaged, the gasket can then be pulled out of its associated groove 61,turned over and reinserted in groove 61 in relative reverse position,wherein portion 43 would then be the top, and would fit into the groove61. The symmetry of the gasket 40 permits the life of the gasket to beincreased, in fact, essentially doubled.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to some preferred embodiments thereof, it .will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

lclaim:

l. A sealing gasket adapted to provide a sealing strip between a vesseland an associated closure member,

said gasket being partially insertable in an associated open gro'oveformed to open between said closure member and said vessel, said gasketcomprising, in combination, a first gasket portion conforming to saidgroove and adapted to be inserted in said groove, said first gasketportion including flanges for engaging said groove to enable said gasketto be firmly retained therein, a second gasket portion, having itssurface reduced in cross-section relative to the width of the opening ofthe groove whereby when said closure member is closed said second gasketportion even if deformed will not be engaged by the sides or edges ofsaid groove and will not be damaged thereby.

2. A sealing gasket as in claim 1 wherein the first gasket portion is incross section the same as said second gasket portion to thereby providea reversible gasket, and hence extends the operating life of the gasket.

3. A sealing gasket as in claim 1 wherein the gasket is self retained inits groove.

4. A sealing gasket as in claim 1 wherein the second gasket surface is arounded surface.

5. A sealing gasket as in claim 1 wherein the gasket provides a seal forboth high pressure and vacuum application. I

6. A sealing gasket as in claim 1 wherein the made of resilient siliconematerial.

gasket is

1. A sealing gasket adapted to provide a sealing strip between a vesseland an associated closure member, said gasket being partially insertablein an associated open groove formed to open between said closure memberand said vessel, said gasket comprising, in combination, a first gasketportion conforming to said groove and adapted to be inserted in saidgroove, said first gasket portion including flanges for engaging saidgroove to enable said gasket to be firmly retained therein, a secondgasket portion, having its surface reduced in cross-section relative tothe width of the opening of the groove whereby when said closure memberis closed said second gasket portion even if deformed will not beengaged by the sides or edges of said groove and will not be damagedthereby.
 2. A sealing gasket as in claim 1 wherein the first gasketportion is in cross section the same as said second gasket portion tothereby provide a reversible gasket, and hence extends the operatinglife of the gasket.
 3. A sealing gasket as in claim 1 wherein the gasketis self retained in its groove.
 4. A sealing gasket as in claim 1wherein the second gasket surface is a rounded surface.
 5. A sealinggasket as in claim 1 wherein the gasket provides a seal for both highpressure and vacuum application.
 6. A sealing gasket as in claim 1wherein the gasket is made of resilient silicone material.